I know of two cuts of 'Rain From the Sky'. One on a Tonos comp and the other from a Gifted Roots Band comp.

Were they ever released as a 7" or 12" as it is here?

the reissue is the cut that appeared on Tonos. it's been a minute since i listened to the Gifted Roots Band comp. LP cut , but IIRC it's the same vocal track, just a little diff. lick (or mix maybe) of the riddim. Gifted Roots cut most of Tasha's riddims, including this one, and they were all long time friends, so they used the tune on the comp.

Strictly killer tunes from the last days before digital and computer started to take the dance halls... I know this has been subject for debate but to me, real instruments played by real musicians with some hand clap, synth overdubs and possibly Simmonds drums is not digi. 95% of the ebay sellers and nuff youthman selectors obviously wouldn't agree... Anyway, out of all the batches of big tunes repressed by DKR, this could be tha baddest one so far. Large up DKR Out of curiosity; what was the connection between G. Nicholson and AC Connell who is credited as producer on the original Tonos releases of some of those tracks?

Ruffneck wrote:Out of curiosity; what was the connection between G. Nicholson and AC Connell who is credited as producer on the original Tonos releases of some of those tracks?

Tonos was just some man who come to Jamaica and license tracks from producers at Channel 1 (mainly the Hookims and Tasha) to release on their label in England. Tasha was a man who produce A LOT of music out of the love for it and his friendship with a lot of artists and musicians, but never have a mind to really deal with the work of releasing and distributing most of it himself. so you see on his own labels only a few releases (Tasha label, Under Pressure label) but nuff of his tune come out on other labels thru deals he made with people to release them (W&B, EAD, Tonos, Headphone, Sonic Sounds' Thunderbolt, Tachyon, TOE, Orbit, etc.). sometimes his name come on the label, sometimes people just present it as their own. many times when producers made a deal for a man to release their record in foreign, they never end up even seeing the record or what got printed on it.

Thanks for the info, RB! Seems there might be be a good chance that some old favourites I always thought were produced by other people are actually Tasha productions. As you say, only a few releases of mostly killer tunes with G. Nicholson as producer but hopefully he will one day compile a list of his production catalogue and make it public so that we can place the credits where due...

the majority of his catalog will be re-released thru DKR. there will be a bunch more in 2011. nuff more never before released tune including the absolute monster tune "OVER THE BORDER" by Midnight Riders on the original lickshot riddim...hold tight!